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• Ford Focus - Replace or Repair 25 Mar 2019 (Forum)
  So on to the Focus, for the first 6 months the Focus was reliable but then in February 2018 I noticed it was loosing coolant, which is when the problems started. The water pump and timing belt were replaced (by an Indy) and since then the car hasn't run properly; it runs lumpy from cold etc.  Fast forward to January 2019 and I set the car in to the dealers for a service (I used a Ford Authorised Repairer), 2 weeks after the service the EML came on and it turned out to be the EGR which cost over £500 to replace!
• Honda Accord Tourer - Am I being ripped off? 23 Nov 2018 (Forum)
  Half an hour into my journey the car overheated again and the Green flag mechanic said it was a problem with the thermostat and took it out, but the problem remained, so my car was taken home for me. My local mobile mechanic (£30) that looked at it said it just needed more coolant. It then seemed okay for a while. When it happened again, I called the same guy out (£30) who did a check with his computer thingy and said it was misfiring and he said it was probably the spark plugs and getting them changed should do the trick.
• VW Mk3 Golf 1.4 - MOT failure only on C02 emissions 21 Nov 2014 (Forum)
  N.B. the exhaust is emitting a fair amount of white smoke but not at start up, only when the car has been running for a while and warmed up. I've got no loss of oil, no loss of coolant water and no gammy mayonnaise on either caps. I've cleaned the throttle body and the engine seems to be running fine... It's done 107k miles so is getting on but was hoping for at least another year on the road...
• Opal Corsa B Sport 1995 - C14SE 1995 emissions 26 Mar 2014 (Forum)
  ; Ignition module Plugs Leads Crank sensor idle control valve Throttle position sensor and removed the three way connector as per GM recommendation Air flow sensor Air filter Lambda sensor Skimmed the head and new gaskets, bolts and seals following a gasket blowout between #3&4. Filter is clean. recent oil and filter change. Coolant consumption minimal, oil consumption 1L per 6,000Km Failed test on High emissions; CO 7.82% Idle CO 12.15% Idle accelerated Lambda 0.685 opacity?
• Ford Transit Connect - Cooling Problems 25 Sep 2013 (Forum)
  I changed the clutch, brake pads, a few various bearings, speedo sensor, brake/clutch fluid and I drained the cooling system, flushed it through and put fresh coolant back in. Took it for MOT and it flew through with an advisory on tyres lol. A couple of days running round and not a problem until last night.
• Ford Fiesta 2000 (W reg) - overheating on dashboard/above steering column 21 Jun 2012 (Forum)
  It had a (genuine) 40,000 mile engine, no service history but the previous owner was a policeman (now retired) and I was told it had been serviced at Her Majesty's expense. I think that's probably true. Almost immediately however, it started to lose coolant and overheat - especially on the steering column housing, where it was red-hot. Took it to a garage, who told me that the water housing was broken, plus it needed at least part of a new exhaust, probably new timing belt... the list went on.
• FIAT Punto - Sale of Goods Act claim - advice needed 10 May 2011 (Forum)
    In accordance with their advice I authorised the work to replace the cambelt. With the service, cambelt change and some other bits (brakes, battery, coolant temperature sensor), plus the VAT, I spent nearly £800, which did smart a bit, to say the least.  I wanted the car to last and be reliable though for my wife to use for commuting to work.
• Ford Mondeo 1.8 TD - Mondeo 1.8 TD Mk2 (99) - engine fans never come on 24 Apr 2011 (Forum)
  My gut feeling is that it's a relay or a connection somewhere, as if the radiator feed pipe is warm, that means the t/stat is working and letting hot coolant enter the radiator, correct?   Is there anything else you guys can suggest? I haven't done any car maintenance for a few years so I'm quite rusty and not used to the Mondeo engines at all, but I'm willing to give most things a try.
• Subaru Legacy 2.0 RE 2006 - Timing belt horrors 20 Sep 2010 (Forum)
  The invoice reads (complete with typos) "Check for fault with car cut out, found the timing belt loose, dismantle as req, drain off coolant and remove radiator, unbolt and remove timing covers, found two bolts seized in timing cover, found timing bolt tensioner bolt snaped, removed timing belt and tensioner, drill out snaped peice of bolt, supply and fit new tensioner with new bolt, torque tensioner bolt to 35NM.
• Vauxhall Combo van (2002 - ) - 05 1.3 Help! engine failure @ 51,000 miles 17 Jul 2009 (Forum)
  Now the van has full service history which was provided when i bought the van on a spreadsheet indicating location, mileage and date etc. The oil levels were fine and the coolant etc and I told the manager this but he said it was 3 years or 60,000 miles warranty which ever comes sooner. Considering the van is only 51000 miles surely this should not fail like this and vauxhall should fix this?
• Peugeot 406 (1999 - 2004) - 00 2.0 HDi head gasket/radiator problem 8 Feb 2009 (Forum)
  hello i have a peugeot 2.0 hdi and im having trouble with the head gasket and radiator at the moment. 2 weeks ago my light on th edashboard came on telling me i needed to fill the coolant up which i did as i found it was empty and then 3 days ago the light came on again to which i filled it up again which i thought was strange. so i took it into a local garage which i trust for him to look at my radiator and he said its not just the radiator but the head gasket which he showed me fluid was pouring out of the middle part of the engine rather than the front of the car where you would expect a radiator leak.
• Audi 80 Mk II (1991-1995) - Bangernomics - 2 year update 3 Mar 2008 (Forum)
  Start mileage 107051 Distributor £75.00 108000 Front Tyres £90.00 110500 Front Bushes £20.00 112150 MOT £40.00 114110 Front Discs + Pads £45.00 114500 Oil Change £10.00 117000 Air Filter £10.00 117000 Headlight Bulbs £10.00 117000 Battery £25.00 118000 Timing Belt £80.00 120000 Fuel Pump £60.00 120500 Rear Tyres £90.00 120650 Door Lock £25.00 121300 Rear WB £25.00 121800 Exhaust £128.00 125000 MOT £40.00 126000 Front Tyres £90.00 127450 Oil Change £10.00 129000 Oil Change £10.00 135000 Rear Tyres £35.00 137000 Front Tyres £75.00 141000 Fan Switch £5.00 144450 Coolant Change £10.00 144450 Thhings to note are; Car cost me 450 pound to buy (Dec 2005) Mileage is now around 148000 I do 20k per year (fuel has worked out at 5k for 2 years) at 30 -35 mpg Car insurance has cost 700 pound for two years Cat tax has cost 400 pound for two years Things outsatnding on car Slightly unlucky with door lock going both within space of a month, still they wont need changing for a while Original clutch, hope to get to 200k on this one before replacement Needs a oil change soon Could benefit from some spark plugs Brake fluid renewal SO do you guys think this is a cash pit or quite reasonable?
• Ethics - selling/trading in problem car 12 Jul 2004 (Forum)
  I have a V6 Vectra that is actually in pretty damn good condition for a 4-year old car. Trouble is, it needs the coolant fluid topping up every week to 10 days as there is a slow leak. (Latest news on this is that a Masterfit tech reckons it'll be the heat exchanger and it'll cost well over £1,000+ to put right...)
• 
  Rejecting a car as not fit for purpose 19 Jan 2013 (Ask HJ)
  In August 2012 I bought a 2008 BMW 330i from my local main dealer. The car appeared to be in superb condition with around 15,000 miles on the clock. However,...
• 2002 Renault Trafic SWB Van - Trafic 1.9dci - Won't Go Above 50-60mph 24 Dec 2020 (Forum)
  Equally, there's no check engine light, no smoke from ignition and bar the acceleration problem everything else seems perfectly normal, although I have noticed my coolant and engine oil levels are low (have been told this wouldn't be the problem though?). I see some threads about cleaning the MAF and EGR or even putting some diesel engine cleaner in but I am not too experienced at mechanics (pouring the diesel engine cleaner in isn't what I am referring to here of course), at this point I will happily try and do this myself but I was hoping to get some advice before I go ahead and fiddle around with things.
• Peugeot 308 CC - Faulty engine control system 17 Aug 2020 (Forum)
  Manage to get back home as I was only round the corner contacted RAC who check car over and reported the following: Engine start fine but with EMS light on. Engine oil and coolant levels checked - OK. Plugged into Rac-Scan to draw fault/trouble codes. UNABLE TO COMUNICATE WITH VEHICLE SPECIFICS BUT COULD DRAW FAULTS THROUGH EOBD. UNABLE TO CLEAR CODES.PROCESS DENIED. HAVE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY FOR 10 MINUTES.STILL UNABLE TO CLEAR CODES.SUSPECT BSI NEEDS SOFTWARE UPDATE.
• Ford Focus II (2004 - 2007) - 05 1.6 Engine System Failure on 115PS 12 Jan 2020 (Forum)
  Can anyone suggest what my be the root of this problem. I have heard it could be a speed senor, lambda senor, engine coolant senor or problem with ECU itself. I also understand that a main dealer can charge £100 or more just to plug car into diagnostics machine without actually fixing problem. What is my best plan of action?.
• Fiat Punto 1.9 JTD 85 - Error code P0380 but 2 dealer got no clue 21 Mar 2016 (Forum)
  I went to make new appointment Auto vehicle electrical workshop near my home, nice chap he was try very hard to find the cause of P0380 still not find, he said may relation to EGR valve clot up or water coolant thermostat sensor fault because that share same wire to relay mount But is that true? I can't sell the car till it fix but nobody seem to know what wrong with it as I see lot on other forum of Vauxhall, Saab and Alfa ECU sorted corrupt data and it stuck forever.
• 2001 Fiesta Zetec-S - Fiesta playing up 16 Aug 2013 (Forum)
  After i put the new coil and plugs in the EML came on. I reset the ECU and the light went and has not come back since. Both oil and coolant are fine and not dropping or does not have any foreign stuff in it. I bought a ODB reader that bluetooths information to my phone and this morning it came up with this P0303 - Ford Type Powertrain - Ignition System or Misfire - ISO/SAE Controlled Description Cylinder Number 3 Misfire Conditions Cause Engine running in a positive torque condition, then the PCM detected a misfire condition in engine cylinder number 3 (lack of spark or fuel metering, base engine) And again this later Pending Fault Log ------------------ P0300: Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected Going back a few weeks my fuel filter was perished.
• Citroen C4 Picasso 7-st (2007 - ) - 07 1.8 Problems with Water Pump & Manual Gearbox 13 Aug 2009 (Forum)
  Unfortunately we've had a few niggly problems that have been sorted out by dealers - for example window relays failing, the boot not opening... but now "bigger" problems are surfacing. I noticed that there was coolant loss, after three trips to the dealers (two different dealers) a leaking water pump was diagnosed (that's been replaced today).... pretty poor in my opinion for a car of this age and miles. What is more worrying is an intermittent judder that happens when pulling away at about 1500 revs.... for example if you are pulling out of a side street and want to get out quickly the whole car judders violently almost like a really bad wheel spin (obviously without the wheel spin).... this seems to happen more when the car is hot.